Fitness is the most important element which may have taken a backseat. Many individuals do focus on diets or joining gyms but do you really understand which workout is right for you? Don’t get us wrong, we love everyone in all shapes and sizes and absolutely don’t propagate body-shaming, but everyone desires to look the best version of themselves. As we all are spending the majority of our time at home, it’s important to be physically active.
We suggest functional fitness to help in getting in shape and be physically active at the comfort of your home.
Here is a quick blog guiding you about the importance of functional training.
Let’s first walk you through what functional training/Fitness really is?
Functional training mimics things that we do every day in our daily lives just like everyday activities. Functional training involves the following:
- Pushing
- Pulling
- Lifting
- Balancing
- Reaching
- Carrying
Functional training help’s the body’s ability to use multiple muscle groups together in a cohesive and effective way which will eventually help you become much stronger and improve how you perform and move on a regular basis. This fitness uses your own body weight and is simple and safe for everyone. However, if you have any injury, you need to first consult with your doctor and then implement this type of workout.
What benefit does functional training provide?
So, let’s jog your memory for a minute and think about all you do in a day, maybe pick up your kids off the floor, vacuum and dust your house, reach for something on a height, carry groceries, pick up laundry basket, climb stairs and so much more!
All of these daily activities involve functional fitness because your various muscle groups are put in action and used effectively. Now, you would say that I walk/run on a treadmill every day!
Sure! Good for you! Walking or running on a treadmill does support your heart health and helps you shed calories, but have you ever pondered how useful is it in supporting your multi-joint and multi-muscle engaging activities on a regular basis?
So, basically in a nutshell, Functional training makes you more functional in the “real-world” and allows you to excel at real life activities. Also, remember this type of training makes you much stronger as it builds full-body strength quickly and quite efficiently. It strengthens your muscles, lowers your risk of injury, and improves your overall quality of life.
Additionally, functional training helps promote better:
- Flexibility
- Endurance
- Balance
Importance of functional training:
- Functional training is training with a purpose- a purpose to help you get in shape or get you fit and healthy.
- Functional training can be done without equipment using your body weight.
- It helps improve your body’s ability to work efficiently as one unit/group.
- It helps to improve your coordination, balance and body awareness to reduce the risk of injury.
Hence, everyone should incorporate functional training in their everyday lives.
Here, we have listed a few functional training exercises which you can incorporate in your daily routine.
Caution: To avoid injury, consult your doctor before beginning the programme on your own.
The following five exercises can be done at home with or without equipment.
- Squat:
Purpose: It helps strengthen all lower body and leg muscles, train muscle groups and balance, promote hip flexibility and improves posture.
Real Life Application: This is exactly the same as kneeling, gardening, bending. For instance when you pick up something from the floor and when you move furniture.
How to do Squats:
- Stand with your feet a shoulder width apart and place your toes angled at 30 degree angles.
- Slowly bend the knees until the things are parallel to the floor. It is as if you’re sitting on the chair.
- The knees should be aligned over the toes keeping your back straight and keeping the base tight.
- Now, push down the heels and return to the original position.
- High Knees:
Purpose: Boost power, build balance, improve endurance and increase flexibility.
Real Life application: Walking, running, leg workout, cardio for heart health and endurance to perform the task.
How to do high knees:
- Stand upright and place your feet a hip width apart.
- Now, look ahead and keep your arms in the front hanging over your thighs.
- Jump or march from one foot to the other side, lifting the knees- up towards the core as high as you can.
- Also, allow your arms to follow the same motion or keep it stable at the height.
- Push-Ups:
Purpose: Strengthen all pulling muscles, train multiple muscle groups to help work together and some core stabilization.
Real Life application: It involves pulling an object, for instance picking up groceries, a box or kids off the floor.
How to do push-ups:
- Get in a high plank position with your palms on the ground, hand-shoulder width apart, legs behind the core and core and glutes engaged.
- Now, bend your elbow and lower yourself on the floor using the elbows. If you’re a beginner you can drop your knees on the ground.
- Push yourself up through the arms to come back to the original position.
- Lunges:
Purpose: Strengthen the lower body and leg muscles, train balance, promote hip flexibility and improve posture.
Real life application: Bending, getting off the couch, picking up heavy objects.
How to do Lunges:
- Stand straight with your feet together and hands on the sides.
- Take a big step out on the right side. Now hinge forward at your hips pushing your butt back and bend your right knee to lower into a lunge.
- Hold the position for a second and now push your right foot to stand back up.
- Repeat the same on the other side.
- Step-up:
Purpose: Builds explosive lower body strength, leg strength, knee stretch, ankle and hip extension, burn fat and endurance.
Real Life application: Standing up fast, climbing stairs, walking and running.
How to do step ups:
- Stand and step up on a chair or a bench.
- Step up on the bench with the right foot, keeping your left foot on the surface. Your weight should be on the right foot.
- Now, step your left foot down on the floor while keeping your right foot on the bench.
For a Functional training guide and how-to videos, follow the Instagram page of 6262 Fitness or log in on our website to enroll yourself for a functional workout.
Conclusion:
Functional training helps build endurance, strength and flexibility which can improve daily life activities helping you become much stronger. Functional training involves exercises using your body weight which can be performed at the comfort of your home with little to no equipment. This workout is safe and simple which makes it more feasible for everyone. However, one should consult their doctor before beginning the workout if they have any injury.
Remember form is everything. A personal trainer can help you practice the correct form. Get started today!